walpole



Feb. 21, 1956 R, LP E 2,735,394

ANCHOR Filed Jan. 14, 1953 v nunnu Q I v 6 dohn R. Wa/po/e INVENTOR.

ATTORNIS'Y United States Patent fifice 2,735,394 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 ANCHOR John R. Walpole, Lampasas, Tex.

Application January 14, 1953, Serial No. 331,195

3 Claims. (Cl. 114-206) My invention relates to anchors, and in particular to that kind of anchor which may be conveniently carried on a small boat and using to anchor same to the bottom of a river, lake or harbor.

The objects of my invention are to provide an anchor, of simple and inexpensive construction, in which the prongs or flukes extend downwardly at right angles to the heavy flat portion which is to rest upon the bottom; to design and arrange the prongs so that they are less likely to be fouled by weeds, rocks or debris; to provide for the lowering of the anchor with the prongs downrnost, for the lifting of the anchor with the pull of the chain vertically above the prongs, and for a position of rest in which the pull of the chain is normal to the prongs embedded in the bottom.

With these objects in view my invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims Referring now to the drawing, which is a part of this specification, and in which like characters represent like parts:

Fig. l is a top view of my anchor when in fiat position, but without the chain;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the anchor as it is lowered toward the bottom;

' Fig. 3 is a side view of my anchor in flat position with the prongs embedded in the bottom and the chain in position of rest;

Fig. 4 is an end view of same with the chain in position for lifting;

Fig. 5 is a detail end view in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified form of prong.

The heavy flat portion of my anchor is a disk, or truncated cylinder, 10, having a flat bottom, but having the top surface cut at an angle so that the disk is thicker at one end. The edge of the top surface is preferably rounded as indicated at 11. The disk 10 is of metal, and may be either a casting or be machined.

A diameter is considered to be drawn across the top surface of the disk 10 from the thinnest portion to the thickest portion, on which is disposed the lift rod 18 as shown in Fig. 1. At equal distances from this diameter I place the prongs 12 which are oblong in shape, with their greater width along a chord perpendicular to the diameter. The oblong blade of each prong 12 is bent at a slight curve toward the thin end of the disk, and is tapered toward the end both in width and thickness, but not to a sharp point or edge which might be dangerous to the occupants of the boat.

The upper end of the prong 12 is seated in an oblong recess 13 in the base of the disk 10, from which recess rises a round hole through the disk. The prong 12 has at its upper end a round shank 14 having a threaded end. About this shank 14 there is a washer 15 seated on a squared surface 16 in the top of the disk 10, and surmounted by a nut 17 by which the prong 12 is fastened to seat firmly in the recess 13.

The lift rod 18, as stated, is disposed along that diameter of the disk 10 which extends from the thinnest portion to the thickest portion thereof. At the thin end the lift rod has a shorter riser, and at the thick end a longer riser. Each riser has, at the bottom, an enlarged portion like a nail head 20, which is seated in a tapped hole 21, and held down by a sleeve nut 22.

If the disk 10 is made as a casting it may be desirable to seat the risers of the lift rod 18 and the prongs 12 in the hot metal. In such case a modified form of prong 12a, shown in Fig. 6, having an enlarged head, may be used instead of the prong 12, having a round shank 13. It may be possible to cast the disk 10, prongs 12 and lift rod 18 as one integral piece, or at least the disk 10 and prongs 12.

The shorter riser of the lift rod 18 is immediately bent over into a hook or bend 19. The lift rod 18 is then bent back to an incline which continues until it is bent back to perpendicular to provide the longer riser of the rod, which riser is seated in the top of the disk 10 be tween the prongs 12.

The lift rod 18 passes through the ring 23 at the end of the chain 24 which connects the anchor to the boat, not shown. The ring 23 is therefore slidable along the lift rod 18 and normally is around the short riser of the lift rod, or around the bend 19 of same, either of which positions is considered the position of rest in which the boat is held by the anchor. For lowering the anchor, as shown in Fig. 2, the ring 23 is in that same position, around the bend 19, with the chain 24 held so that it is vertical; but, as the chain 24 is payed out, and the anchor descends, a swinging motion may be imparted to it through the chain 24, and, when the anchor has been so swung to the right in Fig. 2, it may be dropped by releasing the chain so as to cause the prongs 12 to be nearly vertical as they hit the bottom and in better position to dig into same.

The alternative position of the ring 23 is at the acute angle bend between the longer riser and the inclined portion of the lift rod 18. This position is shown in Fig. 4, and, by reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the pull of the ring 23 and chain 24 is vertical and in line with the prongs 12 thereby tending to lift the prongs 12 out of the bottom so that the anchor may be lifted until alongside of the boat, and then lifted out of the water and stowed away in the boat.

It should be obvious that the greater weight of the thicker end of the anchor disk 10 will tend to help the prongs 12 to embed themselves in the bottom; and that the horizontal component of the pull of the chain 24 away from the anchor will be normal to the prongs 12.

The manner of using and operating my improved anchor has been explained fully in the foregoing.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An anchor having a heavy fiat portion to rest upon the bottom, a pair of prongs attached to said flat portion near one edge thereof and extending at substantially a right angle away from the undersurface of said flat portion, a lift rod extending over said flat portion and having at each end a vertical riser seated in and attached to said fiat portion, one such riser being located at a point between said prongs, the other such riser being located near the other edge of said flat portion, and a chain having at its end a ring, said ring being mounted to surround said lift rod and risers and slide thereon.

2. An anchor having a heavy flat portion to rest upon the bottom, said flat portion increasing in thickness from one edge to the other, a pair of prongs attached to said fiat portion near the thicker edge thereof and extending at substantially a right angle away from the under surface of the fiat portion, a lift rod extending over said flat. portionhavingat each end a vertical riser seated in slide-on said lift rod and on said risers.

3-. An -anchor having a flat heavy portion to rest upon the bottom, a pair of prongs attached to said flat portion near one edge thereof and extending at substantially a right angle away from the under surface of said that portion, a-1ift rod extending over saidflat portion having "at each end a vertical riser seated in and attached to said flat por tion, one such riser being located at a point be tween said prongs and making an acute angle with the '4 portion of sai l f rod. which xtends over sa d flammtion, the other such riser being located near the other edge of said flat portion, and a chain having at its end a ring, said ring being mounted to surround said lift rod and risers and slide thereon.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 579,533 Dalbey Mar. 23, 1897 1,181,179 Simonson May 2, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS 85,014 Sweden Dec. 3, 1935 175,751 Great Britain Feb. 20, 1922 

